Darlene Spinardi Brower
Assistant Artistic Director
Darlene is the assistant artistic director of Ballet Petit. She has been teaching at Ballet Petit since 1987, and teaches students at all levels - from three-year old Twinkle Toes to advanced pre-professional dancers. Just about everyone at Ballet Petit has taken a class from Darlene.
In addition to assisting in the many ballet performances at Ballet Petit, such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Coppelia, and Sleeping Beauty, Darlene is also credited with the choreography of several original ballets for Ballet Petit's Junior Company. Teaching at Ballet Petit is a dream come true for Darlene because she can share her passion and love of ballet with her students.
Darlene has been dancing herself since she was three years old, and she and Peggy danced together as children at the Oakland Metropolitan Ballet. Darlene has toured with Ballet Celeste and studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. She has studied under many renowned ballet instructors, including Ronn Guidi, Vern Nerden, Suzanne Gibson, Richard Gibson, and Ann Bena. Darlene currently takes adult classes at Western Ballet in Mountain View, CA.
Joy Gim
Having achieved artistic success in the world of ballet, dancer Joy Gim brings her expertise and joy of dance to aspiring ballet dancers throughout the Bay Area, including right here at Ballet Petit.
As a principle dancer of the Oakland Ballet for 18 years, Ms. Gim danced many lead roles including Myrtha in Giselle; the Other Woman in Jardin Aux Lilas; the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow and Rose Queens, and Arabian Coffee in The Nutcracker; Zobeide in Scheherazade; the Glove Seller in Gaite Parisienne; and the lead dancer in Nijinska's Bolero. Her other famed moments include appearing as spokesperson for the Oakland Ballet on KTVU Fox Two — Mornings on Two, profiling on ABC 7 — KGO TV's Profiles of Excellence, and modeling for San Francisco Focus Magazine.
Following her retirement from the professional scene in 1998, Ms. Gim has taught many master ballet classes for studios throughout the Bay Area, including Oakland Ballet Academy, Marin Peninsula Ballet, Lamorinda Ballet Center, Vallejo Ballet Conservatory, Shawl/Anderson Dance Center, and most recently, Ballet Petit. She also teaches private lessons and on special request, coaches dancers for specific roles.
Omar Shabazz
Omar began his dance training at Oakland Technical High School with teacher Lauren Manduke in 1987. It was through Oakland Tech's after-school programs that he met Ronn Guidi. And the rest, as the say, is history. Omar danced for the Oakland Ballet until 1997. He performed key roles such as Nephew/Prince, Snow Cavalier, Rose Cavalier, and Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker; Paris and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, and Blackamoor in Petrouchka.
Omar has been working with the students at Ballet Petit for more than 16 years, teaching partnering classes with his good friend and fellow dancer Ben Barnhardt. He has appeared in Ballet Petit productions of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Swan Lake. In January 2003, Omar started teaching a men's ballet class at Ballet Petit, as well as intermediate level classes.
Sharon Yap
Sharon started dancing at the Phil-Am Ballet School in the Philippines when she was just five years old. When she was 9, her family re-located to the San Francisco Bay Area and later enrolled her at the Santa Clara Ballet School. There, she was trained by Josefa Villanueva and the late Benjamin Reyes, both formerly of the San Francisco Ballet. While at the Santa Clara Ballet School, Sharon danced a variety of roles in productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Scuola di Balleto, and Peter and the Wolf.
In high school, Sharon broadened her stage experience by performing with the James Logan Dance Ensemble, and taking part in the school's theater programs, which included such productions as West Side Story and A Chorus Line. In addition, Sharon danced one season with the Santa Clara Vanguard and performed in their rendition of Miss Saigon.
In addition to teaching at Ballet Petit and working as a director for Montessori School of Fremont: Children's House, Sharon regularly contributes to many non-profit organizations such as Ohlone College Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, Rotary Clubs and Business Associations of Fremont. She currently serves as a board member for Fremont's Citizens for Better Community and is an associate board member for the Fremont Education Foundation, and is a founding member of Filipino-American Democratic Club of Alameda County.
Sharon makes incredible artistic contributions to Ballet Petit productions, which she describes as an "obsession with visual effects and projection on stage." Sharon has been teaching at Ballet Petit since 1996.
Nicole Curry
Nicole began dancing at the age of four at Happy Times Nursery School. She received all of her training during her elementary and teen years from Peggy Peabody and Darlene Brower at Ballet Petit. Nicole attended San Francisco Ballet School's summer program and was accepted into their year round school, but decided to remain at Ballet Petit. She attended Boston Ballet School's Summer Program and studied with Sally Streets at Berkeley Ballet Theater.
Nicole received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from San Jose State University in 2002. During this time she performed with the modern dance company, UDT, under the direction of Gary Masters of the Limon Company; and the musical theater company, Company One, at SJSU. At graduation from SJSU, Nicole was awarded Outstanding Senior and was asked to perform her senior solo at the School of Music and Dance's graduation ceremony.
She has appeared in opening acts for many up-and-coming performers in the Bay Area, such as Pink, Mya, 98 Degrees and Nina Skye. She has also been in various trade shows for companies such as Mervyns and Redken, and performed as Velma in the Scooby Doo Show at Paramount's Great America.
In addition to her work at Ballet Petit, Nicole continues to dance and choreograph professionally with fellow teacher Omar Shabazz in various performances throughout the Bay Area.
Frederick Gaudette
Frederick began his life as a dancer and artist near his hometown of Salisbury, MA with his first tap class where as he puts it, "They gave me shiny patent leather tap shoes, and for one hour a week let me run around and make as much noise as I could, and I was hooked!"
Frederick then went on to earn his BFA in Dance Performance from Stephens College in Columbia, MO before moving to Seattle to begin his professional career with Spectrum Dance Theater. In his second year with SDT he worked with Donald Byrd and found a new love and understanding of dance, the discipline, intelligence, and energy behind the work itself. Following two years at SDT, he served on the teaching faculty of the Washington Academy of the Performing Arts where he found his love and gift for being "in the front of the studio." From Seattle, he moved to San Francisco to experience the dance and artistic community in the Bay Area.
Locally, Frederick has worked with Ronn Guidi (Oakland Ballet) and of course, Ballet Petit. He strives to make dance available to all those who have a desire to experience, understand, learn, and enjoy the kinetic art that is dance.
Lillian Kautz
At the age of 8, Lillian saw a production of The Nutcracker and then decided to trade in her soccer cleats for a pair of dance shoes. She began dancing with Miss Peggy at Ballet Petit, and soon the staff recognized her natural artistic talents and strength. Since donning her first pair of dance shoes ten years ago, Lillian has performed as Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Dew Fairy, and Angel Princess in The Nutcracker; Swanhilda in Coppelia; Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Taglioni in Pas de Quatre. In addition, she has danced as an angel and solider in Oakland Ballet's Nutcracker.
Lillian has earned remarkable opportunities with such professional organizations as American Ballet Theater (ABT), Royal Danish Ballet, and Indiana University. While attending the summer program at Royal Danish Ballet's International Ballet Seminar in 2008, Lillian performed at the world-famous Tivoli Garden, and also worked with professionals from Alvin Ailey Dance Company in modern dance and jazz. Following two summers with ABT in Alabama, Lillian studied with ABT in Irvine, CA, in 2009 where she was a soloist in their production of Paquita. She also attended Indiana University's summer choreography seminar.
As a result of these opportunities, Lillian received a special commendation in 2009 from CA Assembly Majority Leader Albert Torrico for outstanding achievement in the arts.
In addition to ballet, Lillian is an accomplished musician in piano and violin, and has experience in video editing. She has been teaching at Ballet Petit for two years. She is currently undecided on which college to attend; however, Lillian has been auditioning at various colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Niki Segell
Niki started dancing when she was just three years old, and spent her childhood in the dance studio watching her Mom teach ballet. Born in raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Niki trained under Gisela Genschow at Santa Fe Dance Foundation and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. She also danced in summer programs at Ballet Chicago and North Carolina School of the Arts. In college, Niki performed and choreographed in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico and also with Ballet Theater New Mexico. Niki has taught everything from creative movement for ages 3-7, beginning/intermediate ballet, and advanced and adult dancers.
Most recently, Niki has moved to San Francisco after living in Monterey for two years, and is enjoying all the wonderful dance opportunities in the city. Beyond the dance studio, Niki has been involved in the arts her entire life, and continues to work in arts administration, event coordinating, and theatre management.
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